The weight should really be in check too. I mean the base 2010 Z4 comes in at 3214. It would be really sad if BMW couldnt make a 2900lb little roadster. An MX-5 comes in around 2500lb...I think.

Looks aside, I really think this will be the deciding factor on whether this car will be successful. A lightweight, fun, trackable package is what made the miata into such a cult car, many miata owners even think its girly/ugly/etc.. but they don't care because of the pure fun factor when behind the wheel. If BMW can give us something like that, then I think they will have a new small halo car on their hands!

Now don't get me wrong - I think BMW's are superior machines to its competition in many ways, BUT . . . Mazda has this thing called a Miata that has been around for 20 years and is priced in the low to mid $20's. I rather doubt BMW will price this one less than $30K - BMW won't want to have its brand associated with the "lowly" Miata . . . even though its the most popular sports car on the planet.

Now don't get me wrong - I think BMW's are superior machines to its competition in many ways, BUT . . . Mazda has this thing called a Miata that has been around for 20 years and is priced in the low to mid $20's. I rather doubt BMW will price this one less than $30K - BMW won't want to have its brand associated with the "lowly" Miata . . . even though its the most popular sports car on the planet.

Hmmmmmm. . . . . .

Doug

so it will have more luxury features than a miata... cost $30K and people will still buy it

even the e36 sedans were optionless with mid 20s price tags in the early 90s, there is no way a 2010 z2 will be low to mid $20s, keep dreaming

BMW Z2 is a no-go
Moving the BMW Z4 upmarket to make space for a new baby Z2 sounded great, until we found out it's not going to happen
There will be no BMW Z2 – well not in the next decade anyway! An insider at the German firm quashed our hopes that a smaller, cheaper baby brother to the Z4 was due in the next few years. God damn him.

“Everyone in the motoring media seems to be talking about this car but it’s not on my product plan and that lists the forthcoming models for the next 10 years,” he told us.

Of course, a Z2 could be under consideration but not actually signed off. After all, only those projects which have been given the green light are included on a manufacturer’s product plan.

But our insider said he hadn’t even heard any ‘internal gossip’ about the Z2. “Even if such a car was being discussed, and I’m not aware that it is, there is no way it could be brought into production in the time scale a lot of people are suggesting. It takes far longer than two years to sign-off a car, test it, set up tooling and build the thing.”

A lot of speculators have been rationalising that BMW desperately needs a cheaper four-cylinder-powered sports car to fill the gap left by the fact the Z4 now starts at around £5,000 more than its predecessor.

However, this is not the case. Our insider explained: “We have the 1-Series convertible. It’s a drop top, has rear wheel drive, is sporty and comes in at just over £22,000. Why would we need to invest a lot of cash in building a niche car like the Z2? It doesn’t make sense in these uncertain times.”

that rationalization is a failed one. why make the Z4 when you have a drop-top 3-series, then?

i think this is just BMW blowing smoke up people's asses, trying to get them to buy a more expensive Z4 until the Z2 is ready for production in a couple of years. it wouldn't make sense for them to come out and say "yeah, we're working on an entry level Z2 for people. it's coming out in 2 years, hold on until then."

this way, those who might be tempted to get the Z2 will instead get an entry-level Z4, or a 128, and then they'll start releasing information.